"Lord, ain't it funny how time slips away?" asked a semi-popalar song of the day. ((I hope, nobody a6lu which day..,I can't necaJUL i£ that wab con­ temporary with Sweet Tuxedo Girt, Tuxedo Junction or Life in the Faat Lane.)) No, it ain't. Not the least bit. This issue was planned for November 1980 and what with one thing and another I think the actual publication date will be February 1981. Still I suppose that is better than September. The ex­ cuses are all standard so pick whichever you can think of and apply it to the seni-lateness of this issue. Semi because I really do not have any particular schedule to stick to and the zine gets published whenever. When­ ever I get around to it. (Not to be confused with ROUND TUTT which is Becky Cartwright’s FLAPzine. This isn’t a FLAPzine although copies will probably showup there as well as elsewhere. Maybe even elsewhen.

Elsewhere or here or elsewhen or even now this is the 74th issue of DYNATRON a faznine (a what?) of sorts. A fanzine of sorts (got it right that time) concerned with nothing serious—just the usual stf. DYNATRON is available for 50q per copy or, preferably, trades, contributions of material, and letters of comment. (The usual, as most ignorant fanzine reviewers say although I prefer the unusual.) CONTRIBUTIONS OF ARTICLES, ESSAYS, REVIEWS, ETC., ARE NEEPEP.^ The files are empty and ol’ Roytac is about run dry. There isn't much incentive to publish when there isn’t any­ thing to publish.

Anyway, Dynatron is edited, published and all that rot by Roy Tackett at 915 Green Valley Road NW, Albuquerque, N.M. 87107

Random Thoughts ...... by HOLT...... 3 Reviews of Mike Kring's THE SPACE MAVERICKS by Denniz Virzi Jodi Stinebaugh Fred Cleaver Pat Mathews...... 5 Review of Vardeman & Milan's THE SUNDERED REALM by Pat Mathews . 6 In Defense of the Horrid Pun by Ralph Roberts...... 9 Letters...... 10

Anything net otherwise credited is probably by the editor.

x A Marinated Publication February, 1981

Page 2 DYNATRON 74 r A. j A

book of accumulating

For years now the elder generations Guest of Honor C. J. Cherryh was charm­ , have been castigating public school offi­ ing and voluble. Her main speech was gene­ cials for not doing their job; for turning rally interesting and her thought that out uneducated students. I wonder if they science fiction occupies the valley between have ever given any thought to the idea the peaks of science and art and therefore that the schools are doing their job...it is in a unique position to blend the two is is just that the students are dumb... one on which writers might dwell. Besides I C.J. Cherryh attending luminaries Included I know that you have all been waiting Jack Williamson, Stephen Donaldson, Roger with some impatience for a report on the Zelazny, and Fred Saberhagen. And not to 12th (more or less) Bubonicon. It was held forget Bob Vardeman, Mike Kring, V4c Milan, 22-24 August in Albuquerque (or as the and Kathy Ptacek (and probably some I have International Science Fiction Yearbook put forgotten). The area’s other big gun, it, quoting the ASFS,' of course, -the Bu­ George RR Martin, had already departed for bonic Plague capitol of the United States.V) Boston so sent his regrets. And, of course, ((Would we say something like that? The the Australian contingent: Keith Curtis §nd Chamber of Commerce and the Albuquerque Carey Handfield. Industrial Development Commission will de­ (Chatting with the William­ clare us pariahs and drive us all out to sons I found that they were not going to Cline’s Corners.)) Boston. It seems that they had been unable I will not go into any to obtain a room in. the main con hotel and great detail for con reports can get to be felt that at their ages they had no desire a bore but it was a good conference. Total to be assigned to the Outer Limits. It registration was about 105 which is a good appears to me that the Boston committee size and brought in enough money to allow erred grievously when there is no room at the club to break even which is about all the inn for a writer of Jack Williamson’s one can ask. Con committee Dennis Virzi stature. That’s what comes, I suppose, of and the rest of us were a bit nervous for trying to run things by computer. ) a while. The Hilton raised the price of It cer­ , the luncheon on us and we went $140 in the tainly wasn’t planned that way but the hole on that but sold enough memberships main thrust of Bubonicon 12 turned out to so that, along with the take from the auc­ be one vast argument over fantasy vs. science tion, kept us from having to pass the hat fiction with a number of the panels which at the next club meeting. were, supposedly, to discuss other subjects,

1. The reference is to the country of Hort in the book PLEASURE PLANET by "Edward George".

2. If you do not know where "Edward George" got his reference then you are the veriest of neofen.

DYNATRON 74 Page 3 suddenly veering into the fantasy vs. SF The growing reaction against techology discussion. The cause was either a remark by a large segement of the people, the by one member of the panel or something burgeoning of nutty religious cults, beliefs that came out of the audience. Some of in astrology, witches, satanism and various those discussions got hot and heavy with other superstitions have all contributed to shouted arguments from the floor and heated a rise in the popularity of fantasy and a de­ words between the participants on the pan­ cline in science fiction. (Indeed anyone who els . has been watching what has been going on in Interesting. the fantasy field could easily have predicted It appears that many the turn towards political conservatism in fans have strong views on the subject. Those the world outside the microcosm.) who favor the current wave of fantasy feel Perhaps it they have a legitimate claim on the field is a reaction against "future shock"/ The whereas the proponents of science fiction real world is changing so fast that people seem to feel that fantasy is an illegiti­ are searching for the security of yesterday. mate intrusion. Fantasy postulates a world filled with the , Historically speaking the old familiar trappings of the supernatural fantasy fans are correct. The field was and not the unknowns of quarks and black holes mostly fantasy long before there was any and bubble memories and drifting continents. science fiction as we know it. In the older One can pay a priest for heavenly protection context of fiction fantasy = romance against demons or a witch for a proper spell (which has nothing to do with the modern to fulfill one's dreams. What can one do American context of a romantic story being about a black hole in space that eats the a love story; look up the definition of universe? . .. . "romance" in your dictionary) and stories The various discussions/arguments dealing with science were originally at Bubonicon 12 were interesting and laden called scientific romances. "Science with deep running emotions.; It. is amazing fiction" (ors more correctly, "scientific- how seriously both fantasy fans and science tion") was, as we all know, invented by fiction fans took the discussions. Gernsback. . Other pos­ The field reflects trends In sibilities for the increased popularity of mainstream life. Scientific romances were fantasy included the idea that fantasy had considered fantasy because the general soul whereas stf was essentially soulless public had a hard time distinguishing (as in "You’re a soulless materialistic science from magic. Since the 1920s our so­ bastard, Tackett"). Still another proposi­ ciety has pursued a course of scientific en­ tion put forth was that the increase in lightenment and a progressive trend in soci­ fantasy was due to (or the fault of) the al life. This has been reflected in the number of women writers in the field now. fantasy field with stf coming evermore to the fore and fantasy itself fading into the I don't believe that any solid conclu­ background. Recall that in 1949 when sions were reached at Bubonicon 12 but we Boucher and McComas first brought out F&SF did find a subject that permeated the con­ it was titled THE MAGAZINE OF FANTASY. It vention, got most of the attendees involved became THE MAGAZINE OF FANTASY AND SCIENCE on one side or the other and plucked some FICTION with the second issue as the edi­ taut emotional strings. Basic beliefs oh 1 tors realized what was selling...We have both sides came under some startling attacks. been accustomed to SF being the leading factor in the field for such a long time Science fiction vs. fantasy. Science that a resurgence of fantasy is unsettling. vs. superstition. That which is real vs. that which is only imagined. ... It should be. And perhaps the main difference between If, as postulated, the field reflects the dogma of religion and the dogma of science mainstram society, then it is reflecting a is simply that which the individual chooses reaction against science and progressive to believe. social freedom. X (continued on page 12, column 2)

Page 4 DYNATRON 74 THE SPACE MAVERICKS by MZchaeZ K/Ung Published by Leisure Books, 1980, $1.75

Reviewed by. MZke. KtLcng; The lead heavy, Heuser, is not killed in the end. In stead he falls into disfavor with The typos are not my fault. his superiors (a fate worse than death?).

i The magic ring holds promise of greatness lost and ancient civilizations uncovered. As the book ends, the two are following up a Reviewed by PenniA Vi/tzi: clue about the ring, a desolate planet aptly named Charcoal. You’ve read this story before; the bureaucratic and greedy empire, a couple A good read. of nice guys, a damsel in distress, and an ancient mystery. The classic pulp X formula all right. This version works. The story is about two cargo haulers, Reviewed by Jodi Stlnebaugh.: Fripp Enos and Kohn Tarkosz, who are try­ ing to make a living carrying freight be­ Mike Kring’s The Space Mavericks is tween various worlds. Fripp Enos is the amusing. And frustrating because I am sure pilot, besides having the psychic abili­ he can do better. ties to navigate in FTL, he can transform himself into a "modified man", a fanged I was amused by recognizing numerous and clawed superman. Kohn is the brains personalities and in-jokes. I felt the book of the two, he selects cargo and destina­ had good action and flowed well from scene tions and handles the local customs to scene. The idea of the Spheres of Space agents. seems to be original, or at least is one that has not been worked to death. While making a routine run Fripp rescues a young girl from some kidnap­ It will be interesting, indeed, to read pers, runs afould of the local police, Mike’s future stuff, including the sequels crash lands on a strange planet where he to Space Mavericks, he obviously intends to picks up a ring that is very good at keep­ write. ing his alive, gets the girl back to her father and is let go by the police. The X end finds the pair further investigating the mysterious ring. Reviewed by F/te.d Cleave*.:

The reason this story works is that This first novel is a bang bang shoot 'em it is well thought out. Nothing just hap­ kick 'em space opera. Space mavericks Fripp pens, there is an explanation for it and Kohn rescue a kidnapped girl and have to happening. Even if the explanation offer­ fight Central to get to safety on her home ed is simply "Boy, was that a dumb thing planet. Luckily Fripp is modified and can to do", as in the case of Fripp getting activate his fangs, claws, super speed and slugged in the police station. Similarly, super strength when he's really in a jam. The hyperspace travelis not merely a lot of book is nonstop action and adventure, the per­ flashing lights, it takes effort to navi­ fect thing if you can handle a junk food diet. gate the "spheres" of hyper-space. Fripp Enos has talent when it comes to FTL Happily, Central is filled with Tuckerised travel. Also he has to pay a physical Albuquerque fans from General Tackett and price whenever he activates his modified group leader Speer to Colonel Milan while Vir- mode. He gets mighty hungry and tired zi got a hole is his leg while helping our afterwards. The bad guys have their heroes. motives, too. The police are trying to do a job; it’s nothing personal. ((fried CZeave/i’A review appealed o^ig-bnaZZy in ROCKY MOUNTAIN FAN.)}

* DYNATRON 74 Page 5 D ‘ Reviewed by PiWtZcZa Mathews; THE SUNDERED REALM by Robert Vardeman and Victor Milan. Playboy Press, 1980, $2.25 Some of the Albuquerque Science Fic­ tion Society have set themselves to bring RevZeived by PatAieia Mathews; back the good old Golden-Age-of-SF-is-13 adventure novel, the PLANET STORIES story. The Sundered Realm, first of a trilogy Mike Kring has done a competent job of it called WAR OF THE POWERS, is entertainment in The Space Mavericks. of the sort that the hard core of the Albu­ querque Science Fiction Society has set them­ Two spacegoing cargo haulers—inter­ selves to write; this one is sword and sor­ stellar tuckers—on shore leave rescue a cery, and extremely entertaining to read. damsel in distress from a thoroughly nasty and well-realized inner city gang, and sud­ The hero, a dog-sled courier called Fost denly the entire police forces of the galax­ Longstrider, is hired by a wizar-d to deliver y are after them. Since Kring has estab­ a jug to another wizard. Almost immediately lished very early on that the central the heroine, in true sword-and-sorcery style, government and its colonial arms are cor­ drugs his sled dogs, attacks him, tries to rupt, brutal, and not too bright, this is steal the jug, tells him a transparent lie reasonably plausible if you assume that as a cover story, and then, in a lovingly she holds the key to some sort of secret described sex scene, seduces him; the only the government wants badly. She does. purpose at this point can be to keep from taking some well-deserved lumps at Long­ There are alien worlds with alien and strider 's hands. And this is the chief Good deadly customs, a lost city, a few monsters, Guy, the rightful heiress to the throne, and and the requisite chases and fights. Al­ all that! Oh, well, it’s a toss-up wether though the Damsel in Distress is very the authors’ low opinion (look how little young and Somebody’s Daughter, according to they expect in the way of ethics, or con­ the convention of these stories, she is versely, how much bad behavior they are wil­ presented as reasonably bright and reason­ ling to accept as normal) is of humanity in ably human; although the author remarks, general, women, royalty, or royal women; as with some irritation, at the childish be­ that- may be. the hero ends up on her side for havior she exhibits at one point (described little or no good in terms more applicable to a two-year- old) , he seems to be dimly aware that a The jug is inhabited by the ghost of teenaged civilizn under stress of that sort Erimenes the Ethical, who in life preached might very logically break down and act abstinence from worldly pleasures (neither like a baby once or twice. The prose is authors nor ghost explain what was so ethi­ not purple, the plots have some plausi­ cal about that) and is now heartily sorry. bility, and the two leading characters Erimenes is a low-comedy portrait of the have no desire to imitate Raymond Chandler. academic Middle Age Crazy of a thousand main­ Nor does the author. stream novels, and a bigger pain in the butt than C3PO could ever be. At least the Give it a C for execution and a C+ for golden droid never urged the leading charac­ trying. ters into danger so he could see a little X blood! Erimenes is the reader as seen by ((On the. whote The. Space. MaveAtcks ts a com­ the doer, and a cheerfully repulsive por­ petent job and fiun to AeacT. Mike ts a stu­ trait he is. dent at UNM and did not have the tdeat amount oft time--0A conditions--undeA which Back to the plot. The wizard who to wAtte. He shows a tot o^ pAomise £oa owned the jug is dead, and a few monsters the fiutuAe. A sequeC to The Space MaveA- are hanging around his castle just waiting teks has been sotd. Look fc>A At sometime to be slain. Erimenes has the secret of ZTT9S1. RD) immortality, which was well-known to his people (is that why they all died out by nm the time of the story?) and both sides DYNATRON 74 Page 6 want it: Princess Moriana (thief, dog- having any scars at all, physical or mental, drugger, coward, and not above a little from her pair of ordeals; at the end of it whoring in her cowardice) and her Evil Twin all she and Longstrider are cheerfully fight­ Synalon (Come on, fellows! That's a drug ing off baddies and on their way to the next rehabilitation program, or the latest fab­ battle for the throne. ric from DuPont.) Synalon comes on like the Evil Queen of Acne on the Tarzan Show The descriptions are clever, especially (Saturday morning cartoon hour) complete that of the city's hot-air balloons, powered with the very same lines of dialog. She by fire elementals but otherwise indistin­ dresses in filmy gowns and lots of jewels, guishable from those floating over Albuquer­ keeps a castrated and very sadistic cou­ que every balloon fiesta time, and the hero sin as her counsellor, rides and uses ra­ even gets a ride in one. vens rather than war-eagles; I wouldn't be surprised if she wore green nail pol­ The sex is very nicely done, if you can ish on three-inch nails. I mean, she i believe that both the heroine anda minor is Evil! If you need even more proof, character would love to bed the hero on first consider that she went to Led with six sight and have a great time doing se; well, guardsman from the royal barracks at once. this is fantasy, after all. Neither hero (Considering the hero's open interest in nor authors show any sign of seeing an ul­ brothels, it ill-becom.es him to consider terior motive behind the princess' first sex her anything except a kindred soul; I sup­ scene, so maybe we weren't suppose to see pose he simply hates to see his fellow men anything more in it than that the publisher turned into nothing but sex objects for an was Playboy Press. At any rate, it was evil tyrant's lust, or something.) And she shown as mutual fun with no sadistic over­ is now looking into the possibilities of tones of dominance games. Male-viewpoint hornbulls and clogs, having, I suppose, throughout, so a female reviewer's apprecia­ been very disappointed in the males avail­ tion would necessarily be less gut level able to her in this book. (Me, too. The and more aesthetic, but still, nicely done, difference between most of them and the and those who find it extraneous can skip draft dogs lies in the number of feet and it. : thickness of fur; certainly not in intelli­ gence. In character, the dogs probably The action moves fast enough that only come out ahead.) someone who sat down and analyzed the plot would find it preposterous. Moriana is captured by Synalon, who gives her a few sibling-rivalry nasties my Buy it. If you have the $2.25 and own sister could surpass at ten (she's not there's nothing worth watching on televis­ quite up to the "Up your nose with a rub­ ion, go ahead. You’ll be entertained. ber hose" level, but give her time) and throws her to the only clever torture in PAT MATHEWS the book, that of slicing apart all her old X friends and family retainers before her eyes to make her talk. Whoever the Guild The City in the Glacier and The Destiny of Seekers after Truth and Penitence sent Stone, books two and three of THE WAR OF Synalon should be recalled and a couple POWERS have also been published by Playboy of apprentices sent in his stead; Moriana Press. Vardebob tells me that books four, is steadfast in the face of all this and five and six (yep) have been purchased by instead is thrown to the Vicar of Istu, a Playboy Press and publication is scheduled very ugly statue of a very ugly demon, to for the first three months of 1982. Book be publically raped and eaten. Long- publication schedules seem to be governed strider arrives in time to prevent the de­ by things not known to mortal man. RT vouring but not the rape (he was too busy watching) and lo and behold, the fellows openly allowed that such a thing would hurt!

Not that Moriana is shown later as

DYNATRON 74 Page 7 THE DEVIL'S GAME by Foul Anderson (Pocket buffs. I am not one. The film listing is Books, 1980, 255pp, $2.50) incomplete. So is the author listing. RT In which Poul Anderson abandons stf I for fantasy. Or does he? Poul has ago at Hal Clement's THE NITROGEN FIX (Ace, the mainstream...or does he? $6.95) sounds as if it should be interest­ Sunderland ing if one can get into it. I couldn't. Haverner has grown old, rich, powerful and The first chapter didn't grab me. A family bored all with the help, perhaps, of one of three and a semi-domesticated salamander Samael. Samael appears to Haverner as a going from somewhere to somewhere for some shadow, an image, a voice. He may be a de­ reason. Not enough information in Chapter mon, a visitor from another world or an­ one to get me interested in them. RT other time, or just the figment of Haver­ x ner 's imagination. Gordon R. Dickson's MASTERS OF EVERON (Ace . Haverner drafts seven $6.95) on the other hand is interesting people, all of whom need money, to come to enough but seems too juvenile and obvious his island, and play games. The winner or to really hold me. Man taking a giant cat winners get one million tax free dollars. back to its home planet for research pur­ The. object of the players is to eliminate poses. We know who runs that planet, don't from the games as many of the contestants we? Perhaps in the objectf¥e view MASTERS as is possible. Haverner's object is to OF EVERON may be better than tfftrdeman's study the psychology of the five men and SANDCATS OF RHYL but I preferred t£e latter. two. women he has trapped in his web. Sam­ It seemed fresher and more fun. ael-'s object...remains as intangible as I his appearance. Ah, you're just getting old and jaded, Poul Anderson has written Tackett. X'X an excellent character study and the re­ Maybe. But I don't think so. actions of the players are realistic and understandable. Anderson is one of the THE ADOLESCENCE OF P-1 by Thomas J. Ryan better writers around the science fiction (Ace, $2.25) is a fast-paced, humorous, and field and when he steps out of it (or may­ interesting story about a sentient computer. be just a bit diagonal to it) he is even Egad, what a computer. You have to realize better. Good action, godd characterization, that I am a recruit in the Butlerian Jihad (Julia April Fenn Petrie is one of the but I enjoyed this one. You will, too. RT most one-track minded bitches ever put on I paper (and I've met her a few times)), good motivation and something of a mystery, too. (And Poul even tuckerizes himself by mentioning a fuzzy fourfoot named Winston P. Sanders.) . Recommended. RT X

We have here THE SCIENCE FICT1ONARY: An A-Z Guide to the World of SF Authors, Films & TV Shows by Ed Naha. It is from Seaview B<66g.s and costs $16.95 and there is appar­ ently a paperback version for $10.95 This is essentially a listing of a vast number of stfantasy flics from the big and little screens along with some short biographies of many authors in the field. A handy reference, I suppose, for fantasy film IN DEFENSE OF THE HORRID PUN

by

RALPH ROBERTS

As a happy inhabitant of that vague inevitiability leaving the reader gasping gray area (ya gotta call me on the "twilight of breath, his senses completely "punned" phone") between pro and fan, my writing so to speak. In other words, it still must sometimes merges the two styles resulting be a story. Good examples of such may be in...ahem,..certain stylistic "profanities" seen in ISAAC ASIMOV'S SF MAGAZINE, who committed inbetwixt more serious and re­ usually includes at lease one per issue. spectable projects; much as does that lead­ F&SF will also, on accasion, lay a groaner ing proponent of punning, the great Chuck on ya. And bunches of fanzines, of course. Upmann. A good many of these horrid pun stories; what the French might dispairingly All right. We now know; (a) I like refer to as "objects d'art" (will they get horrid puns, (b) a definition of criteria that one, Chuck?), the pub-going British for an H-P (65?) story, (c) either "a" or as "dart objects", and US fen...well, a "b", (d) none of the above. Those choosing very few fen do have nasty mouths. "d" may now go back to their BATTLESTAR GALACTICA coloring books. Do try to stay Disregarding all concern for life and inside the lines. limb, I’ve gone so far as to actually pub­ lish a few horrid puns in both pro and fan­ Well, we gotta make some kinda con­ zines. Even one or two under my own name. clusions. First, puns are a recognized So while not possessing the expertise of a and enjoyable form of SF humor. (If ya Chuck Upmann, I'm on firm ground and speak don't agree, ask the people who chose "d" from "no ledge" (contrived but what the for a coloring book.) Secondly, from a heck) when discussing this oft maligned, writer's viewpoint, the construction of and occasionally underlined, artform. And horrid pun stories is a pleasurable and re­ one, I might add (or subtract, or multiply) laxing pastime. It'll soothe jangled that gives the perspiring young writer a nerves and give ya a break during snags in subtle communicative vehicle of sensitiv­ your longer, more serious works. Addition­ ity, imagery, word-sense, and rhythmic ally, while drinking and writing don't al­ pattemings. (And if that ain't ways mix, composing pun pieces will creative writing about puns, Chuck, I'll "scotch-up" your writing ability; it's turn in my Randall Garrett Fanclub member­ good practice (Chuck Upmann says puns are ship card!) Suffice it to say, I enjoy infinitely better if you "scoth-up" before this mode of expression and often make a writing or reading 'em.). Finally, a sense "fun" in conversation as well as writing. of humor benefits a civilized person in co­ (Right Chuck?,..Chuck?...) ■ ping with the daily frustrations and com­ plexities of modern life. Hence, I leave The forms for horrid punning vary, as you with that age old adage: the pun is do those for that gross cement statuary mightier than the bored. (And for those you see defacing lawns of the less-gifted- of you who still think this article ser­ in-taste homeowner. Webster's defines the ious , the persons choosing "d" have pun as, "a play on Words of the same sound several coloring books left.) but different meanings...for witty effect." But the end line of an H-P story (note how RALPH ROBERTS cleverly I sneak in a plug for a well- known calculator company—that too is a inn pun) should fall on the reader with all the force generated by one of those statues being toppled. A great THUMP of

DYNATRON 74 Page 9 LETTERS

WNATRON’a Infrequent appeanahce during the. Surprised Art didn’t mention that the Veli­ paAt couple of yea/ib haA not made, It an at­ kovsky debate in Pensee was reprinted (in tractive fanzine for letterhackA. There 1978 I think) by Picador under a title I have been a few, though... forget ("Velikovsky Analyzed" or Velikovsky Rediscovered" or something like that.) PHIL STEPHENSEN-PAYNE, "Longmead", 15 Wil- ((I tried to remain relatively neutral In merhatch Lane, Epsom, Surrey KT18 7EQ, U.K.: the VelikovAky debate for many years al­ though I felt that none of his detractors, There is much to be said for Dainis’ from AAlmov to Sagan and everyone In be- idea of not reading a book until it is ten twe.en never proved him wrong. What they years old, but I. fear he forgets that, what Aeemed to be donng woa giving pronounce­ sells a book is not necessarily quality. You ments from the Acriptures.. .this is might discover, ten years later, that a book science, take It on faith...and one does is worth reading - but how many good books not take the accumulation of knowledge are still in print ten years later? You can on faith.. .we leave that for religion. Shat easily get ten year old bodks by Harold Rob­ finally convinced me that VelikovAky wdA bins or Jackie Collins, or by Heinlein or wrong woa Aomethlng the revered orthodox. Asimov - but what if you suddenly decided to AclentlAtA Ahould have checked In the first read Pangborn’s Trial - of Callista Blake place. I was reading Aome dusty tome on (a superb book by the way) which has been the early history of Mesopotamia and found out of print for years. Maybe the ideal so­ that the Babylonians had recorded observa- lution would be to buy all the books now - tlons of Venus some 500 years before V said and wait ten years before reading them (or the planet sprang from Jupiter. One would not as the case might be.) Trouble is think that In matters of this sort V'a op­ that’s a bit too expensive. position would have at least checked the Readers (not records. RT)) only SF' readers) seem to be divided into Politics, unfortunately, is a Catch-22 two very distinct classes — those who like situation. Everybody agrees that the only short stories and those who don’t. It is person suitable to rule is the one who my feeling that the proportion of short doesn’t want to - but he never stands for stories that rely only on an "idea" is election so never will rule. )Except in a about the same as the proportion of novels monarchy maybe.( Laws of government are that do. Similarly with "key revelations", made by the politicians, who will always which are just as common in novels as in propagate themselves a job and it doesn’t short stories - they do not necessarily matter much how people like Art suggest that mean the concept is bad. To my mind some this or that rule should be introduced, no of the short stories by, say Ted Sturgeon politician will ever legislate against him­ or Raoid Dahl, are much better than most self. Hence the Catch-22. novels. ' , .■ ((A umptc utf eZecZZorus back we had a big ((I tend to agree with you on that. I reform movement'- let the people choose the think the point attempting to be made. 1A candidates In the primaries. Now the that novel Length glveA more Apace for party politicoa are a ayIng "What do the "character" development, whateverthehell people know about It? Back to the closed that 1a, and making the characterA In the conventlonA. We’ll do the choosing." The Atony more llke'peepul. ’ For my pant I can politicos may be night...look what the usually do without 'peepul' and also "hu­ people chose. RT)) man beanA, man". The thought occurs that "human beanA" and human beingA are not Ay- I nonlmouA. RT)) ... I cannot say that I’ve formed any dis­ tinct opinions on Velikovsky one way or the other - though I guess I tend to skepticism.

Page 10 WNATRON 74 SHARRON ALBERT, Box 80925, College, Alaska, Tell Rick Sneary that the bridging in Demon 99708: of Scattery (of the story being a tale told by an Irish god to a mortal changeling) was Twenty years of DYNATRON! Congratula­ from the setting of The Broken Sword. tions! I just hope I’m around 20 years from Having just read The Broken Sword before now and you're celebrating your 40th. Demon I appreciated that tie-in by Anderson Hiding page 17. Now that’s nasty. I to his much earlier book. searched all over looking for the conclu­ sion of the Heinlein statement, finally All right! All right! I’ll try to gave up and continued to read through to find a copy of The Space Mavericks! Which the end. Were you just checking to see how may be difficult up here. I have to special many people actually read Dynatron all the order all but the major releases. My local . way through? However, it was the best bookstore loves me. Let’s see, if I saved thing that had happened all day (take that all the money I spend on books over a any way you wish). . year's time...I probably could afford to go ((With a little bonbon on the. side...! sup­ to a con. But I could never do without new pose this is as good a place as any to ex­ books. plain about last issue's page. 17. Thene is ((And a con lasts only a fcew days no explanation. 1 had all the stencils wheneas books last fan. yeans. You can't stacked in on.den—checked them a couple ofi go to the same con twice but you can ne- times--and nan them ofa. It suddenly came nead the books.)) to me that I wct4 putting page 20 on a new ? stack o£ papen. instead of, the back o^ page 19. Checking thnough I faund page 17 BUCK COULSON, Route 3, Hartford City, missing. Couldn’t fand It anywhene. Lo­ Indiana 47348: cated it a couple ofc days taten unden the desk and have no tdea how -it got thene. The current crop of readers can't Vid -it just slide out ofc the stack and tell the difference between fantasy and cnawl unden the desk? I nan it ofcfc on the science fiction? How far back do you con­ back ofc page one ofc an apazine and sent it sider current? Bob Bloch won a Hugo for through FLAP. RT)) "The Hell-Bound Train" in 1959, and if you call that story science fiction you’re more Do you think that Buck Rogers on TV has any liberal with the term than I am. I can chance of teaching the television audience tell the difference, but mostly I don't give anything positive about SF? I find it in­ teresting that they are apparently going to a damn. concentrate on script improvement this sea­ In your predictions you asked about son rather th

Page 11 DYNATRON 74 WALTER A. COSLET, Box 6, Helena, Montana RANDOM THOUGHTS (from page 4): 59601: I have to presume you are a member of Berkley Publishing Company sends out the club that circulates ALPHA CENTAURI something called WORLDS AHEAD "The Berkley COMMUNICATOR. You do say a number of Science Fiction Newsletter." The November/ things that I will bring to the attention of December 1980 issue listed the following our stf club at its next meeting when five "science fiction" books as forthcoming: of them return from Moscon II. I am prob­ THE SUNSET WARRIOR by Eric Van Lustbader ably too well acquainted with their fanac TRANSFIGURATIONS by Michael Bishop though, to expect them to comment to you on DIFFERENT LIGHT by Elizabeth Lynn this 73rd issue when they borrow it. Still, SATYRDAY by Steven Bauer they did comment to ARECIBO—probably be­ THE NORTHERN GIRL by Elizabeth Lynn cause it was being published monthly. THE WORLD AND THORINN by Damon Knight Mt. THE FINAL QUEST by Richard Monaco . St. Helens and the prospect of'others to join it is about all that has been fascinat­ Only Bishop’s novel is not out and out ing in the news recently. Volcanos and con­ fantasy. Elizabeth Lynn got on the list tinental Drift have been about all the twice. She must own a hunk of the company. "science" I’ve been studying. And yes, there is a volcano right before our front Where did I put that copy of ANALOG? steps. The whole rock face of Mount Hele­ I na to the north had to have been produced that way, and I would guess the last erup­ I ran this quote from Phillip Lee tion blew off the west flank of the moun­ Ralph’s book THE STORY OF OUR CIVILIZATION tain. . in Dynatron #3, January 1961. I find it ((You one panttatty connect Zn that I am on still significant two decades later: the nottt Atpha Centana {not Centaant) at a \>en.y inactive memben.. you. thtnk "Contemporary civilization, in its about tt you witt n.eattze that one. oft the obvious and external aspects, is an intri­ neatont I am inactive tn that dab Zt be­ cate mechanism. It is increasingly inter­ cause It it Atpha Centana and not Atpha dependent and all-embracing, and yet at Centaant... yet. the same time its successful operation Ijj tt taket monthty pabti- depends upon a more and more exacting tech­ cation to get any comment out ofa the Hetena nical proficiency, beyond the reach of the SF etab then I’tt neven. hean. ^n.om them. majority. Back of the engineer and tech­ I nologist lies the research laboratory. Be­ tappote the biggett tanpaite about the enap- yond that lies the tenuous realm of pure tton ofi Mt St Hetent Mat that tt Mat Mt St science in which a few rare spirits Hetent and not one ofa the mon.e wtdety- scrutinize the secrets of the physical knoMn peakt, tach at Latten on. Bahen, that universe and through their revalations— btew. And that tt hat been tach a tong characterized by mathematical equations time ttnee the tatt enuptton atong that rather than ecstatic trances—unlock new chain. potentials which will alter or revolu­ I note that the enuptton o{\ Mt St tionize the workaday world. The man in the Hetent noted at onty the 6th on. 7th mott tm- street may be as ignorant of the cogita­ pontant nejMttony o{} 1980. The eteetton o^ tions of the scientist as a Campanian pea­ Ronnte Reagan Mat ..^tntt, o{> co ante, and I sant was oblivious to the meditations of Moutd, I tuppote, agn.ee. Afaten att the Marcus Aurelius. But while the peasant Poettdent o& the U.S. can get ut att kitted could live and die without philosophy, his a tot quicken than a tmatt votcano on the modern counterpart cannot escape the im­ Mett coatt. pact of science, which continuously re­ shapes the environment in which he moves.

Page 12 DYNATRON 74 And that environment is an artificial and him $10 for a four issue subscription to brittle thing, constantly exposed to the his zine he will be glad to give my zine a liability of injury and difficult to re­ free listing in it. I should think so. pair. In fact it could be smashed to frag­ Bill-Dale also wants comic book fans to get ments by instruments of destruction now together to protest the draft. I don't known and perhaps already laid away against think that comic book fans have anything to such an occasion. Destroy the labora­ worry about. There are, after all, certain tories and the whole technological mechan­ minimum mental standards... ism will soon be off balance. Eliminate X the small core of pure scientists and even Dennis Virzi who ramrodded last year's the laboratories will have little meaning— Bubonicon 12 and, not having learned his the all important explaining and directive lesson, is also the chief mover behind Bu­ force will have been removed." bonicon 13, suggested to the Albuquerque X Science Fiction Society that Lastish I reviewed Robert Anton Wil­ incorporation might be in order. It seems son's SCHRODINGER'S CAT in which the Peo­ that hotels and other businesses are get­ ple's Ecology Party "...a weird mixture of ting harder to deal with on an individual tangled religiosity and New Left anti­ basis. (That might be part of a continuing rationalism" won the 1980 elections. If overall trend towards the anthill society one changes "New Left" to "New (or perhaps in which the individual doesn't count but Old) Right" in that quote above it pretty I really don't think I want to get off on well describes the outcome of the 1980 that tangent.) elections. After much discussion and Tangled religiosity indeed. A work on Dennis's part we voted in January fascist is a fascist is a fascist even to form the New Mexico Science Fiction when masquerading as part of something Conference, Inc., a non-profit literary and called "the Moral Majority". Born again educational body. The self-perpetuating are they? Yeah, reborn with the racial, governing board consists of Dennis, Jack political and sociological philosophies of Speer, and Jodi Stinebaugh. The new Adolf Hitler not those of Jesus Christ. corporation is a separate body from the ASFS and exists to put on Bubonicon. X The difference in the way the state and the fed­ I don't suppose it is too early to eral government handle the game is amazing. tell you that BUBONICON 13 will be held in The state requires only a copy of the by­ Albuquerque on August 28, 29 and 30, 1981 laws, a list of officers, and $11. The or thereabouts. For details send a SASE IRS provided Dennis with a 20 page booklet to of questions to be answered. X Dennis Virzi I have been playing with the idea of 429 Graceland SE somehow moving Dynatron under the umberella Albuquerque, N.M. 87108 of the UNM Science Fiction club in order to take advantage of their mailing permit If you are and thereby saving around 85% on postage. planning on attending Denvention II you However, after talking to Elenn Haas who has just might want to arrange things so you been editing ALPHA CENTURA COMMUNICATOR for can attend Bubonicon on the weekend be­ the past coupleof years and sending it out fore the big one. Sort of a warm up, you under the auspices of the U club I decided might say. that I'd best steer clear of the bureau­ X cratic hassle involved. It may cost me Occasionally I get strange things in more but it beats hell out of trying to the mail. Oh, not really strange, mind conform to the regulations set down for you...just sort of...hmmm. publications approved for university I have a couple mailing. of flyers from Bill-Dale Marcinko, for ex­ ample. Bill-Dale writes that if I send

DYNATRON 74 Page 13 Which seems to bring us to the end of a somewhat abbreviated issue of DYNATRON-. Didn't quite reach my usual 20 pages this time. So it goes. As for the future ...I'm not sure. The future of DYNATRON and, probably, most other generally dis­ tributed zines lies with the U.S.P.S. If what I have heard about the forthcoming postal increase is true then DYNATRON will fold as a genzine. I certainly cannot afford to pay 85q per copy postage and that, so I hear, is what the 3d Class rate will1be. Alternatives? Perhaps an eight pager to go 1st Class or else become strictly an apazine. So. HORT

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